In today's tough economic climate, value for money can easily be interpreted as the cheapest service but the two terms couldn't be more different. Value for money is a term used to describe getting the most for your money where as cheapest services are just that - cheap and usually without any real substance. However, that doesn't mean that you cant get value for money from a cheap service.

When it comes to International Courier companies, in my opinion, you should never go head first into the cheapest service that comes along, especially if you have clients and customers that are on the receiving end of the shipment.

Value for money can vary depending on your expectations of the service. Naturally, the most important part of the International Courier (and indeed any courier service) is the ability to get the package to its destination on time and in one piece but there are also a number of extra services that you should look out for when searching for the best value for money service.

Is your package insured?

If the item is of high value its always worth checking with the courier company to see how much they will insure the item for. Insurance should generally be taken out against damage or loss of the item.

Do they outsource your consignment?

Some international courier companies might pass your consignment between several different companies. This is very common with international shipments when smaller companies take on the task of delivering your package. In an ideal world, if you put your faith in one company to deliver your package you would expect them to handle it from start to finish.

Do they offer live online tracking?

Most Courier companies these days will offer a facility to track packages online. This means that you can see what your package / parcel / letter currently is en-route to its destination. Live Tracking is generally done via the companies web site and can be accessed via a tracking code that will be issued to you before the package leaves for its destination. In most cases you will also be able to see who has signed for the package once it has been delivered.

Time Sensitive Deliveries

Again, not uncommon in the industry, time sensitive deliveries allow for your package to be delivered before a set deadline. If this deadline is not met then penalty charges can be invoked. It is worth checking to see if your International Courier company offers time sensitive deliveries and how much extra you might have to pay for them. You could save yourself a bob or two if you plan ahead and allow plenty of time for your delivery to reach its destination.

The important thing to remember is that, whilst on the face of it International Courier companies look the same in terms of services offered, sometimes the quality and professionalism may differ from one company to another.